California Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 102 private colleges in California with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. University of Southern California leads the list with a population of 46,566 students.

Enrollment is a measure of the size of the student body. Larger schools are more likely to offer a wider range of programs and services while smaller schools may have a more intimate and personalized experience.

List of California Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
College Enrollment

San Diego, California

112

Berkeley, California

108

Los Angeles, California

101

Sacramento, California

98

Santee, California

96

Rialto, California

75

Los Angeles, California

71

Indianapolis, California

70
43
25

Berkeley, California

6

Temecula, California

0

This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.